The Collapse of Syria

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The Middle East Institute is pleased to welcome Syrian researcher and activist Samir Altaqi for a discussion about the collapse of the Syrian state amid civil war and the likelihood of a resolution to the conflict.

A cardio-vascular surgeon by training, Altaqi has been involved in politics and foreign affairs in Syria for decades. From 1994-1998 he served as a member of Syria’s parliament. In 2004, he became a consultant to the Syrian prime minister on health issues dealing with health planning and reform. In 2005 Altaqi was appointed the director of the Orient Center for International Studies in Damascus, which was affiliated with the Syrian foreign ministry. It was later shut down for political reasons, and Altaqi left the country to head the Orient Research Center in Dubai, an independent think tank working on the Middle East.

Biographies:

Samir Altaqi is general director of the Orient Research Centre in Dubai. A cardio-vascular surgeon by training, Altaqi has been involved in politics and foreign affairs in Syria for decades. From 1994-1998 he served as a member of Syria’s parliament. In 2004, he became a consultant to the Syrian prime minister on health issues dealing with health planning and reform. In 2005 Altaqi was appointed the director of the Orient Center for International Studies in Damascus, which was affiliated with the Syrian foreign ministry. It was later shut down for political reasons, and Altaqi left the country to head the Orient Research Center in Dubai, an independent think tank working on the Middle East.

Kate Seelye (Moderator) is senior vice president of The Middle East Institute, where she oversees MEI's programs and communications. Prior to joining MEI, Seelye worked as a radio and television journalist covering the Arab world from 2000-2009 from her base in Beirut, Lebanon. She reported on the region for NPR, BBC's The World, PBS' Frontline/World and the renowned Channel Four British investigative news series, Unreported World. Prior to that she worked as a producer for the Newshour with Jim Lehrer on PBS.